AggieYell.com's look at the matchup between Texas A&M (3-3) and South Carolina (4-2) begins with a breakdown of the Aggie offense against the Gamecocks defense.
Setting the scene
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, South Carolina
When: Saturday, 6:30 p.m. central time
TV: SEC Network
Weather: Clear, temperatures in the 60s dropping into the 50s during the game
Texas A&M projected depth chart
QB: #13, Haynes King; RS-So.; 6-3, 205
#15, Conner Weigman; Fr.; 6-2, 215
RB: #6, Devon Achane; Jr.; 5-9, 185
#4, Amari Daniels; So.; 5-8, 200
FB: #24, Earnest Crownover; RS-Jr.-TR.; 6-3, 230
TE: #18, Donovan Green; Fr.; 6-4, 235
#42, Max Wright; RS-Sr.; 6-4, 255
WR: #1, Evan Stewart; Fr.; 5-11, 170
#3, Devin Price; Jr.; 6-3, 200
SLOT:#7, Moose Muhammad; RS-So.; 6-1, 195
#8, Yulkeith Brown; So.; 5-10, 175
WR: #10, Chris Marshall; Fr.; 6-3, 205
#2, Chase Lane; RS-Jr.; 6, 195
LT: #60, Trey Zuhn; RS-Fr.; 6-6, 320
#78, Dametrious Crownover; RS-Fr.; 6-6, 300
LG: #74, Aki Ogunbiyi; RS-So.; 6-4, 320
#75, Kam Dewberry; Fr.; 6-4, 330
C: #61, Bryce Foster; So.; 6-5, 325
#77 Matthew Wykoff; RS-Fr.; 6-6, 330
RG: #64, Layden Robinson; RS-Jr.; 6-4, 330
#70, Josh Bankhead; RS-So.; 6-5, 305
RT: #76, Deuce Fatheree; So.; 6-8, 325
#59, PJ Williams; Fr.; 6-4, 285
South Carolina depth chart
EDGE: #5, Jordan Burch; Jr.; 6-6, 275
#10, Tyreek Johnson; Jr.; 6-3, 265
DT: #6, Zacch Pickens; Sr.; 6-4, 305 OR #94, M.J. Webb; Sr.; 6-3, 313
DT: #91, Tonka Hemingway; Jr.; 6-3, 295 OR #95, Alex Huntley; So.; 6-4, 305
EDGE: #8, Gilber Edmond; So.; 6-5, 250
#46, Bryan Thomas Jr.; Fr.; 6-2, 230
MLB: #44, Sherrod Green; Sr.; 6-1, 233
#52, Stone Blanton, Fr.; 6-2, 235
OLB: #19, Brad Johnson; Sr.; 6-2, 238
#0, Debo Williams; 6-1, 237
NICKEL: #9, Cam Smith; Jr.; 6, 188 OR #27, DQ Smith; Fr.; 6-1, 212
CB: #24, Marcellas Dial; Jr.; 6, 192
#33, Kajuan Banks; Fr.; 5-10, 185
SS: #21, Nick Emmanwori; Fr.; 6-4, 218
#27, DQ Smith; Fr.; 6-1, 212
FS: #3, Devonni Reed; GR-TR.; 5-11, 200 OR #29, David Spaulding; Jr.; 6-1, 197
CB: #28, Darius Rush; Sr.; 6-2, 200
#25, O’Donnell Fortune; So.; 6-1, 185
Injury update
Texas A&M: QB Max Johnson (finger), WR Ainias Smith (leg) and OL Jordan Moko (knee) are out. OL Trey Zuhn, Layden Robinson, Bryce Foster and Aki Ogunbiyi are all doubtful (at best). TE Jake Johnson (quad) should be available.
South Carolina: No reported injuries. Senior S RJ Roderick has left the team and entered the transfer portal.
Texas A&M statistical leaders
Rushing: Achane, 97 carries, 528 yards (5.4 YPC), 3 TD
King, 24 carries, 76 yards (3.2 YPC), 1 TD
Passing: King, 64-110 (58.2%), 763 yards, 5 TD, 5 INT
Max Johnson, 43-71 (60.6%), 517 yards, 3 TD
Receiving: Stewart, 26 catches, 303 yards (11.6 YPC), 1 TD
Ainias Smith, 15 catches, 291 yards (19.4 YPC), 2 TD
Muhammad, 13 catches, 199 yards (15.3 YPC), 2 TD
South Carolina statistical leaders
Tackles: Emmanwori, 37
Greene, 32
Burch and Pickens, 27
Tackles for loss: Edmond, 7
Burch, 5
Strachan, 3
Sacks: Burch, 2.5
Edmond and Hemingway, 2
Interceptions: Dial, 2
Six players with 1
Forced fumbles: Spaulding, 1
Head-to-head
What the Aggies want to do
Keep things simple as possible. With numerous injuries up front, the Aggies need to find ways to protect King. The best way to do that is to go to your best player: Achane. Both Arkansas and Georgia ran all over the Gamecocks, who gave up 92 points to those two teams. So South Carolina is susceptible to giving up yards and points.
An offensive line of Crownover or Williams/Dewberry/Wykoff/Bankhead/Fatheree isn't going to terrify a lot of teams in terms of pass protection, but this is an absolutely huge front. The Gamecocks aren't all that big up front, so putting a hat on a hat and going right at them may be the best thing to do.
When you do throw, King has to be protected. That means rolling him out and getting him away from pressure, as well as getting the ball out of his hands quickly. That could mean some quick hitters for Stewart, Muhammad and, perhaps most importantly, Dononvan Green.
The Aggies need to go out and emphasize the running game. They need to control the clock and grind the Gamecocks down. Sometimes, simplest is still best.
What the Gamecocks may do
This seems pretty obvious, even if it's contrary to what they've done so far: stack the box and try to limit the damage done by Achane. They know the Aggies haven't protected well in the passing game, and even though they haven't done well in terms of forcing sacks or tackles for loss, they know the importance of #6. They're going to try to stack the box, stuff Achane early in the hands of King and the suspect offensive line.
